Theory vs. Practice - How I See the Field Experience

I've said it before, and I will keep saying it.  It starts and ends with the mentor teacher.

Unless excellent mentor teachers are selected for observation, student teachers will not have the opportunity to grow into master teachers.

The University of Alberta's Faculty of Education explains that "The field experience is designed to give student teachers their first opportunity to merge theory with practice in a school setting."

Here's how I see the Field Experience.

Experience 1.

I believe the "field experience" should happen at the university first where student teachers observe a visiting master teacher, currently employed with a school district,  teach the student teachers a lesson that would be delivered to a high school class.  The process of this experience would be as follows:

1.  Student teachers watch and participate as a master teacher delivers a senior high lesson in a university classroom.
2.  Student teachers engage in the process as a high school student would.
3.  Student teachers observe the teaching strategies and processes ( the "theory") as it unfolds in practice.
4.  The master teacher stops the lesson periodically to debrief what strategy and process was used and why.

Experience 2 and 3.

Student teachers, in pairs, are assigned to excellent mentor teachers that have been recommended by principals. Mentor teachers should engage in a rigorous interview process to determine if they meet the requirements. During this experience student teachers should have the opportunity to:
1.  Observe excellent mentor teachers
2.  Co-teach with the mentor teacher
3.  Co-teach with each other

So here's the ENORMOUS CONUNDRUM

Where do you find EXCELLENT MENTOR TEACHERS?

PowerPoint has killed the secondary teacher. Try to find a teacher at the high school level that engages students on a daily basis and thoughtfully uses the "theory" that is to be merged with "practice" in a school setting.  Hmmmm.......